TARANAKI TEAM SELECTED

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1933, Page 3

TARANAKI TEAM SELECTED

MATCH AGAINST WANGANUI OTHER PLAYERS TO BE TRIED OUT. \ CHANGES MADE IN THE FORWARDS THREE ALTERATIONS IN BACKS. ' The Taranaki Rugby representative team to meet Wanganui at Pukekura Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday was announced as follows by the selectors (Messrs. C. Brown, J. Walter and F. McKenna) last night: -Full-back: Collins (Clifton). Three-quarters: Edwards . (Patea), Rutherford (Old Boys), Ross (Star). Five-eighths: K. Fookes (Old Boys) 2nd., G. Sangster (Stratford) Ist. Half: C. Sangster (Stratford). Back row: Fastier (Stratford), M. Burke (Waimate). Middle row: S. Fookes (Old Boys), Clarke (Okaiawa), D. Murphy (Kaponga). Front row: Hinton (Stratford), J. Young (Stratford), Fowler (Clifton). Reserves: Backs, Sullivan (Tukapa), Dymond (Empire Old Boys). Forwards: E. Murphy (Hawera), . Murfitt (Waimate).

The selectors explained last night that the changes from the team that met Waikato at Eltham yesterday did not necessarily mean they were dissatisfied with the players left out of the team to play Wanganui. The team for Saturday is also an experimental one, and changes have been made with the idea of giving more men a trial. Gargan (Waimate) is recovering from injuries and O’Dowda (Tukapa) is unavailable. The selectors ask that the following players keep in training: R. Young, C. Wills, Gargan, McLeod, Thurston, Richards, J. Crawford, B. Mace and C. Dowdle. TEAM ANOTHER EXPERIMENT FORWARDS WISELY ALTERED. QUESTION OF BACK COMBINATION. (By “Scrummage.”) In view of the fact that the Auckland match on Saturday week will give the Taranaki team finally selected a chance to settle down before the opening of the southern tour, the selectors cannot be blamed for again experimenting in their team to play the Wanganui Rugby representatives at New Plymouth on Saturday. The forwards certainly required reorganising when judged on yesterday’s display, but it is rather a pity that the experiment deprives B. Mace and Dymond of the opportunity of gaining the additional understanding that would result from another game together. One selector is to travel to Wanganui on Saturday to watch the Taranaki Maoris in action against the Wanganui Maoris, and it is understood that he will be keeping a very close eye on the performances of K. Wetere, the big Tainui forward, and McLeod, the Star forward who went quite well yesterday. At the present time . Taranaki rather lacks a leader of experience in the forwards, and it is possible that Wetere may be the man for the job. He is certainly a fine forward when in condition, and would have made a great difference at Eltham yesterday. Hinton and S. Fookes, yesterday’s best forwards, have been given places in the team to meet Wanganui, and there is no reason to doubt the fact that they will turn on good football. With an experienced representative player like J. Young in the centre of the front row and a less formidable pack of forwards to contend with than the *Vaikato men, it would seem that the Sangsters will have more opportunities on Saturday to prove their worth than did Mace and Dymond in yesterday’s game. Had the pack gained possession, the backs Taranaki fielded yesterday would have put up a much bigger score in the same satisfying manner that they put on points from the -few chances received. However, even at the expense of combination,, it is wise and . just that others should be given a trial. Ross, the newcomer to the wing, will be watched with interest.

If . Wetere. is good enough for a place in .the Taranaki scrum, as he may be, Clarke will have to show a decided return to form if he is to hold his place. The team to meet Auckland will be the selectors’ best team, and it will be interesting to see what lines they take. It is understood that the personnel will be announced after a meeting of the management committee of- the Taranaki Rugby Union at Eltham after the final of the Taranaki club championship a week from to-day. The touring team, it is believed, will consist of 19 players, but if injuries necessitate such a move further players will join the team on tour.